The recent American bombardment in Venezuela and the seizure of its president have ignited unease regarding Washington's designs on Greenland. Followers of the ex-president's base have reportedly turned their attention to the vast landmass in the wake of the operations in South America.
Inflammatory Messages and Official Backlash
Only hours after the initiation of the Caracas operation, a prominent conservative commentator, who is married to a high-ranking White House adviser, shared a suggestive image. The graphic depicted Greenland draped with the stars and stripes, accompanied by single-word caption: "COMING."
This blatant suggestion to annex the resource-abundant land, which is a member of the North Atlantic alliance, provoked swift and firm condemnation from Danish officials.
"Denmark and the US are close allies and should continue to work together as such. US security is equally Greenland’s and Denmark’s security," declared the Danish ambassador to the United States. "The Kingdom of Denmark and the US collaborate to ensure security in the North."
The diplomat additionally highlighted that the kingdom had significantly boosted its military budget recently, earmarking a large sum expressly for Arctic and regional security. "And yes, we demand complete respect for the territorial integrity of the our realm," he added.
Political Moves and Strategic Interests
The tensions were additionally exacerbated by the previous appointment of a Southern governor as a special envoy to Greenland. The governor had publicly expressed gratitude to the president, saying it was an "honour" to serve in a unpaid capacity to "make Greenland a part of the US."
Following the military action in Venezuela, this envoy praised the administration's actions, connecting it to the wider "fight against narcotics."
Ever since assuming office, the American leader has consistently alarmed transatlantic allies with his expressed interest in Greenland. The island is viewed as critically important for defence and future mineral exploitation. It already houses the northernmost US air base.
Leaving the Door Open to Force
In a significant media appearance, the president declined to rule out the use of armed action to gain control of Greenland. This position comes during growing global rivalry in the polar region. "I don't rule it out. I don't say I'm going to do it, but I don't rule out anything... We need Greenland very badly," he stated.
He characterized Greenland as having a "very small amount of people, which we’ll take care of, and we’ll value them... But we need that for international security."
Mounting Tensions and Local Resistance
In response to this constant "drumbeat" of threats, Denmark's security agency took the unprecedented step last month of labelling the United States as a "security risk."
The prime ministers of both Greenland delivered a joint and forceful rebuke: "We have said it very clearly before. Now we say it again... You must not take over other countries."
Public opinion in Greenland reveals a complex sentiment. While a vast majority of the island's inhabitants desire independence from Copenhagen, there is also little to no desire to become part of the United States. The island has had the option to declare independence for many years.
Analyst View: A Credible Scenario?
Some analysts are now reconsidering the possibility of such a move. One policy analyst focusing in military analysis admitted she had once dismissed the sabre-rattling but was "now not so sure."
"It wouldn't be that hard for the US to station a few hundred or a few thousand soldiers on Greenland, and it's unclear to me who could intervene about it," she observed.
